Israeli President Herzog in Davos: Excluding PM Netanyahu is 'a reward for terror'

Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived in Davos on Tuesday ahead of the World Economic Forum. During a meeting with the president of the UN General Assembly, Herzog said he plans to address at the conference the exclusion of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Gallant from international forums following arrest warrants issued against them by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

“It is unacceptable that shameful international politics – repeatedly weaponized against the State of Israel – are being used by international legal forums to prevent senior Israelis, from the only democracy in the Middle East, from attending the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, a conference that aims to shape the future of the world and the Middle East,” he said.

“Preventing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or, for that matter, the former minister of defense, Yoav Gallant, from attending a global forum aiming to shape the future of the Middle East by such legal means is a reward for terror. Those who truly want to build trust cannot exclude those who are on the front lines of the struggle. Israel’s leaders and decision makers should be welcomed everywhere, on every stage.”

Iranian FM claims Israel behind cancellation of his participation in the World Economic Forum 

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel of causing the cancellation of his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He claims this was the result of “lies and political pressure from Israel and US-based proxies and apologists.” President Isaac Herzog responded by saying Araghchi “represents a brutal and tyrannical regime that attempts to mask its heinous crimes with hollow rhetoric.”

“There is one fundamental truth to the recent violence in Iran,” Araghchi said in reference to the killing of protesters in Iran. “We had to defend our people against armed terrorists and ISIS-style killings backed by Mossad.”

The Iranian FM claimed: “Israel’s genocide of Palestinians (...) have not compelled WEF to cancel any invitation extended to Israeli officials whatsoever. In fact, Herzog even did a victory lap in Davos as early as January 2024, even as he faced criminal charges in Switzerland for the unfolding Genocide in Gaza.”

President Herzog responded to the remarks, saying: “International condemnation of the Iranian regime is not the result of political pressure, but of a simple and undeniable truth: the Iranian regime is the head of the snake that arms, funds, and directs Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist proxies committing crimes against humanity.”

From Davos, Herzog added that the Iranian regime, “massacring its own people day after day, executing innocent women and men for daring to call for their freedom, (...) is in no position to lecture others on 'morality.'”